1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image heating apparatus mounted to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile so that an image on a recording material is heated. In particular, the present invention relates to an image heating apparatus including a rubbing rotary member configured to rub a heat rotary member configured to heat an image on a recording material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been used an image heating apparatus including a heat rotary member and a nip forming member configured to form a nip to heat an image on a recording material.
However, some recording materials have projections formed on edges (cut end surfaces) of the recording materials. When such recording materials pass through a nip, the edges of the recording materials may slightly scratch the heat rotary member. In a width direction orthogonal to a direction in which the recording materials are conveyed, portions through which the edges of the recording materials pass converge on a certain point, and hence minute scratches may be locally formed by the cut end surfaces. As a result, glossiness in an image becomes uneven.
As a countermeasure against scratches due to the cut end surfaces, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-266785 discloses a method of rubbing the heat rotary member with a rubbing member.
By the way, the recording material may wrap around the heat rotary member after passing through the nip, which leads to a risk of a failure of separation. In order to prevent the failure of separation of the recording material, it is effective to use a separation plate configured to separate the recording material. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-037567 discloses a structure including a plurality of contact members which come into contact with a surface of the heat rotary member so that a distance between the separation plate and the heat rotary member is determined.
However, when grinding dust of the rubbing member surface comes into contact with the contact members, a position of the separation plate may come unstable.